Monthly Archives: November 2013

These photos are from way back in October. Before Halloween, before the snow (yup, we have snow in Chicago!), and I’m sneaking them in right before Thanksgiving. Now considering I STILL haven’t gone through all of our photos from Europe this summer…they’re not really thaaat late. ;)

We escaped to Indiana for this weekend to visit my parents. My parents left Chicago and moved to a tiny town in Indiana (three hours away), right near Amish country some years ago. It’s a different pace, and really quite a sweet place. We love making little visits, sometimes even just for 24 hours. It’s always worth the drive; Mateo LOVES seeing Noni & Papa and we get a little space from our “to do” lists. We love to see Noni and Papa too of course, and we like having to spend time together, ha. :) It’s good to get a little space and regroup. We usually set down our cellphones, eat too much, and take long walks.

Last year we took Mateo for some “Fall Photos” and I captured so many sweet images. We also took him to his first Pumpkin Patch and decided to make it a tradition. So this was our “Second Annual.” I tried to repeat the Fall Photoshoot but OH MAN, that boy is way faster and always has his own agenda. I was afraid I didn’t really capture anything. I need to calm down, ha. Love these! But seriously, I think it’s a little impossible NOT to get a few good photos when the world is on fire with color!

I love Autumn, it’s my favorite season. I used to call it “boot season” cause I’m a boots kinda girl. I love the layers, and I love “walking weather.” I donno if it’s just me, but this year autumn has been especially beautiful. I think part of it is that I’ve started paying attention to details. For a few reasons! Mateo is a full-on toddler with reactions to everything, I’m getting more into photography which makes me want to capture all.the.things, and I’m blogging now…so I have this funny internal dialogue taking mental notes all the time (whether you guys ever get to hear it or not).

I wish I would actually scribble my notes because I remember quite clearly that I was feeling suffocated before we left Chicago. Everything felt like pressure and I just felt like I couldn’t breathe. I wasn’t able to enjoy anything. Everything felt like work and responsibility and everything reminded me that I was behind. On everything. I remember getting to my parents house, walking outside and finally breathing.

Going through these photos, I love the contrast of bright colors set off by all the dull, dead and dying scenery behind and under it. For some reason I can relate. ;)

More photos on the way! Part two: Pumpkin Patch! Part three: Bon Fire on a FARM. A real farm. I donno, that was kinda exciting for this city girl. A real farm! A real one.

**To you in the Philippines. I see you checking in. I’ve been thinking about you all the past couple weeks. I hope you and your families are okay. We’re sending our love and we’re thinking about you. xo

I’m flawed. I’m sensitive and easily overwhelmed. I’m prone to anxiety and living in extremes. I’m hopelessly unorganized and obnoxiously critical of myself and my abilities. I need lots of time alone and abhor feeling trapped. *Yeah, total dream-wife and mother-of-the-year material right there. Sigh.

But I’m also more.

Earlier this week, a blog friend (and inspiration) of mine, Sisilia Piring posted a “Recipe for a Long and Happy Life” by Ruth Bernhard on Instagram. And it hit me in just the right place. I felt an inner “YES.” It immediately brought me back to a promise I made to myself in my early teens, that I would never become jaded. This list is a verbalization of many unspoken vows which have preserved me from being crushed by my flaws.

I hope that you will find this list to be just as powerful, encouraging, sweet and inspiring.

Recipe for a Long and Happy Life by Ruth Bernhard

Never get used to anything

Hold on to the child in you

Keep your curiosity alive

Trust your intuition

Delight in simple things

Say “yes” to life with passion

Fall madly in love with the world

Remember: Today is the Day!

When I started this blog, I was tired and I was frustrated. But I was full of ideas and and I wanted to grow and to make something. It was excruciatingly hard for me to put myself out there in the open. It sounds funny now that I have a personal blog on the internet, but I was the private girl who didn’t even have a “relationship status” on facebook until I was “married.”

But blogging has brought me closer to each of these “ingredients” to a “long and happy life.” I am tired, I am a mess, I loose my cool all the time, and my photography, writing, and design skills or whathaveyou are all absolutely just a “work in progress.” But I have this project on the side: HENNA BLOSSOM (me!) which makes me look at my life and the world through a different lens. It makes me want to create something from the little moments. To pay attention. To appreciate them, and when I just can’t appreciate them (like 5-7:30 pm every day with a toddler), to learn from them. :)

What’s funny, is that most of the work for this blog, you’ve never seen and maybe you never will. I’ve photographed food, style, travel, family and home posts. I’ve written essays in my drafts folder and even more in my head which I may or may not ever have time to finish. But it changes me. Having this ongoing “conversation” connects me to my life in a deeper way.

And as these posts pile up, I can see myself learn and grow. I’ve also been able to connect with so many of you fighting the same good fight. There are so many of us trying to live fully, in the middle of “LIFE.” And let’s not miss out on LIFE while we’re trying to live, eh? ;)

SO THESE PHOTOS…

I’m in love with them. And haha, yes, they’re of me so maybe that statement sounds a little bit narcissistic. Okay maybe a lot bit. But ah well, I love them. :) They feel very me, and that’s not something I’m able to do consistently. I like that they came from an idea in my head. I like that they feel editorial, but they’re really of me snapping photos during Mateo’s nap in his playroom. My wardrobe is what I threw together as a spur of the moment “forest maiden” Halloween costume. I set up the camera and a tripod and timer. When I couldn’t get what I wanted, I begged the husband to take a break from work (Aki was working from home that day). I set up the camera for him and I’d just explain what I wanted and then we’d look at them and I’d explain again, ha. Thank you for going through that Aki! And then I edited.

So here is me and here is my blog. This is my life and I’m making it work. I’m a mom without much time or brainspace for creative things. But I thrive on learning and creativity and I am striving for a happy life. Sometimes I just say things and post photos for memory sake, and sometimes I post something that is straight from my heart and fills me with pride.

Thank you for stopping by.

Thank you Sisilia for posting Ruth Bernhard’s “Recipe for a Long and Happy Life.” If you want to check out Sisilia’s instagram feed (she’s kinda a rockstar there), here’s her new personal lifestyle handle: @piringsisilia as well as her major photography handle: @sisiliapiring. I find her incredibly inspiring. She’s a mom of two young, gorgeous little things and an incredible fashion photographer. I just like to know that people like her exist. That it’s possible. We would have never connected if I hadn’t started this silly blog, and there’s just another reason I’m thankful I put myself out here on the internet eight months ago. Tell her I said “hi.” She’s a good one.

And if you want to check out my Instagram feed. I’m: hennablossom. I’m not as amazing. But you’re here, so you probably like me anyway. :)

WHICH FROM THE LIST SPEAK TO YOU? 1, 2, 3 and 5 jump out for me, but I love them all.

How long? 45 minutes! That’s how long. There’s a reason we usually take a stroller when we have to get somewhere. This little boy of mine gets distracted by EVERY little thing. Not so practical when you have a destination in mind, but an enviable way to experience life doncha thing? Everything is fascinating. :)

Here are a few photos from our walk with Papa (my dad) who was visiting. Mateo loves when my parents visit. I’d say he particularly loves bossing Papa around, ha. We picked up Mateo from his little preschool Halloween party. He was in quite a good mood because well, he was in an elephant suit and holding a big bag of treats. :) …except for whenever I tried to move him along. His pouting pics make me laugh most of all.

Where the sidewalk ends..Oh boy, storming elephant. EVERYBODY MOVE!And yep, this little elephant has a monkey as a sidekick, of course. “Monkey” and Mateo have been almost inseparable lately. They’re kinda BFFs. In fact, enough that Mateo has taken to calling him “Monks” for short every now and then. Yeah, amazing. I love TWO. This is a good, good age. Moods and all. :)

Even before my first sip of coffee on November 1st, I received a text from a dear friend in San Francisco (hi Jess!) wishing me a “Happy November 1st.” Dear friends know that the beginning of a new month is always a hopeful for me. It means a ton to have someone else stand in that possibility and belief of “fresh & new.” Truly.

It’s funny, but our friendship is marked by this ability to share our utter humanness (ugliness & failure flapping in the open), and still listen with complete belief in each others’ hopes and desires. Even if it means stepping over 827 sabotages and “chicken outs” of the past. Cause you know, there’s always a new day. And definitely a new month. I don’t know why it is, that some relationships are completely free of cynicism. I’m so thankful.

And it’s a reminder to be kinder, less judgmental of my talents, and more trusting in myself. Why is that so much harder?

We decided (over text) that two months left in the year is just the right amount of time to make an impact. It is, doncha think? I want to end 2013 with my head up high. Who doesn’t?

Right now, I feel like I have a lot of good things going on. I’ve been connecting with more creative people, I have some new photography opportunities, I have good people in my life, Ingrid & Oliver is running, we have some home remodels coming up, and Mateo is at my favorite age so far (the talking and all that silly mischievousness!). BUT I’m really tired, always a little flustered, and overall just feeling stuck in a game of catch-up. And so, what will make a difference in my life is scheduling, organizing, clear goal/task setting and focusing on my health. It’s the boring stuff, but the reality is that I have more projects and goals than I have time or energy for. I have a tendency to get overwhelmed and run in circles instead of forward when that happens.

Taking care of the boring stuff clears out some of my anxiety and leaves more room for needed breakthroughs and the unpredictable magic stuff. ;) And it also leaves a more present mother to Mateo and wife to Aki.

If I’m going to be completely honest, I’m kinda grumpy this morning. And I’ve already snapped at both of my boys. But I still mean every word. And I feel better for admitting that. :)

T W O M O R E M O N T H S.

Why yes, I did take that photo up there myself with a tripod. :) It’s one of my favorite portraits of myself. ever. Go figure.